First few days

So, I arrived late Wednesday night without any problems. I only wish I had a day time arrival because I'm sure the 45 minute cab ride to the hotel was probably very scenic. I've spent the last two days relaxing at the Sheraton Presidente. I ate my first pupusas (traditional Salvadoran dish) and explored the nearby Museo de Arte de El Salvador.

There is an old Simpsons episode when Bart somehow ends up lost in France for two months. In one scene, he is walking down the street, frustrated because no one understands him, then suddenly it hits him; since he has been surrounded by the French, he knows how to speak fluent French. Well... I'm pretty sure I was expecting the same thing to happen to me... but with Spanish.

I took Spanish for 9 years in school. Yes, it has been almost a decade since then, and I am pretty rusty, but I figured surely when I am immersed in it, I'll be just fine. I can't believe how many times I've already wimped out and asked "Uhhh... Habla usted ingles?" I got so nervous when someone said something to me in Spanish and I didn't respond right away. I need a shirt that says "Please disregard my deer-in-the-headlights appearance. It's not that I can't understand you, it's just that I'm slowly repeating what you just said and translating it in my head. A response will be with you momentarily."

I even tried chatting with the cab driver and when I couldn't think of what else to say, I told him I work with a lot of people from El Salvador. His response was "Oh... Si." I felt like Baby from Dirty Dancing... "I carried a watermelon?!"

Today, I head back to the airport to meet up with the team. Due to all the rain and flooding that has taken place in El Salvador during the last two weeks, a lot of our building plans are up in the air. Habitat is planning alternative tasks in case we aren't able to get to the work sites. I guess I'll find out soon!